


Chaos Theory

by Suzie_b



Series: Chaos Theory [1]
Category: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-19
Updated: 2011-07-19
Packaged: 2017-10-21 13:52:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/225911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suzie_b/pseuds/Suzie_b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An old enemy returns and Vincent must choose between becoming lost in his past and embracing his future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Post game and AC only. Also, I suck at summaries but Elfen rocks at beta-ing.

"So why did _I_ have to come along, again? It looks like you two have all of this figured out," Tifa complained to the men with her. "You guys do know that you've got a week to do this, right? Denzel's birthday isn't for another week."

"Yeah, and if we leave it to Cloud it'll never get done and... damnit! See?" Cid aimed a smirking look toward Vincent. "Told ya you never take a woman along on somethin' like this unless you want to get bitched at. What the hell were you thinkin', anyway?"

"That I obviously have no idea what would go into something like this, that the chances of you having a clue were slim to none, and that Tifa would be the only one amongst us with at least half a clue," the gunman's steady tone answered, as if this should have all been perfectly obvious. "Since this will be the first birthday he'll be spending with his new family, it should be something special." Vincent ignored the shocked looks from his companions and continued to walk toward the store that was their destination.

"I told you." Tifa paused only to elbow the pilot beside her. "And we're the only ones with the time right now, so we've got the job. Besides, Yuffie mentioned something about you needing to get away from all of those airship fuel fumes. She says they're liquefying your brain," she informed with a laugh that stopped short as she looked over at Vincent. "Hey! What do you mean half?! I'm the most clueful person here."

"It's good to see friends enjoying each other's company," a familiar voice from nearby interrupted. "It's fortunate that I was passing through, I thought I'd never get to see any of you again. Imagine how unfortunate that would be."

"Hojo," Cid's voice broke the silence, as did the sound of a gun being drawn. "You're supposed to be dead. We killed you." Pausing, he smirked at the white-coated figure. "A lot. Guess we need to do it again if you're dumb enough to get back up."

Before anyone else could speak, Hojo laughed. "Such a poor, poor representative of your species. I really should offer to help with that, but I'm a bit busy, I'm afraid. As for my death, do you honestly think that I would be irresponsible enough to let such obvious genius as my own be wasted? You were a convenient way for me to end my contract with my employers, nothing more." His gaze went to Vincent and the smile curving his lips intensified. "Ah, but I see that the work outlives the man, as they say. Or it would have. Really, I'm touched that you've kept it around. I had no idea you held me in such high esteem."

"Bastard!" Tifa yelled as she ran forward, fist drawn back to punch the scientist in the face only to be stopped short of her goal by Vincent's outstretched arm.

"My, my, such loyalty you've inspired. Don't tell me you did this all on your own. Honestly, young lady, hasn't it told you anything?" Hojo adopted a hurt expression. "I'm wounded after all of the trouble I went through to keep your exterior and your mind intact. Why don't we show them, Vincent? After all, it's some of my best work."

For a long moment, it seemed that Vincent might pull the trigger, though his expression never slipped from its cool indifference. "I refuse," he announced, holstering his gun. "They've seen your work. You're in our way."

Despite the tenseness of the situation, Cid snorted a laugh. "Shit, you're focused. I bet he'll be real happy to kick your ass once we get our errands run, Hojo. Why don't you do yourself and the rest of us a favor and die by the time we get done."

"Oh, I doubt it's shown you everything. Such a sense of shame over such masterful work. I'm quite heartbroken, you know. I put some of my best effort in only to have it rejected. Of course, it's a shame that it can't really pull the trigger." Hojo's gaze never left Vincent, his expression becoming smugly triumphant. "That should have been your first clue. As a mere human you may not have been the sharpest scalpel on the tray, but you weren't stupid. Perhaps my skill at the time wasn't up to the task of improving everything, but one does one's best. Why don't we show them the beautiful monstrosity I created?" he asked, pulling a hand from his pocket to reveal a gun, which was quickly pointed in Vincent's direction before he pulled the trigger. "Crude, but I've become sentimental over time. It brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Vincent fell into a crouch, taking the dart in his shoulder rather than his chest, where it had been aimed. "...your aim hasn't improved," he gasped as he reached up, removed the dart and inspected it. "A drug? I'm not alone, Hojo, do you think this is going to work? I'm not your experiment anymore---" His words faded into a groan of pain and the only thing that kept him from falling over was the steadying presence of Cid and Tifa on either side of him.

"Leave him alone! Haven't you done enough?" Through the growing ringing in his ears, Vincent could make out Tifa's voice, and a warning yell from Cid. He was vaguely aware of reaching out to push his companions away, but he couldn't tell in which direction they'd gone.

"Oh, touchy, aren't we? What's the matter, fond of my little experiment, are you?" At first, Hojo's gaze drifted to Tifa, but he shook his head and gave a low, mocking laugh. "No, not you," he decided before glancing over at Cid. "You? Well, well, well, we are just _full_ of surprises, aren't we my pet. You have a fondness for it? I don't mind you borrowing it for a while, but I think I'll be taking it back. It's the only remaining source for Jenova's cells, after all, now that you've taken care of the last remnants of my darling son."

"Go! Run now!" For Vincent, it was as if his words had come from something else entirely. Rough, rasping, and teetering on the edge of a growl, the sound couldn't have been further from the voice he thought of as his own. "You're taking me nowhere!" The surprised gasps of his companions went unheard by Vincent. The pain coursing through his body intensified, and the only thing he could focus on was the low laugh of the man in front of him.

"You see," Hojo went on, focusing on Tifa and Cid as if Vincent were a mere part of the landscape. "I'm being efficient. I'm not only getting revenge for my son and his mother, but I'm taking back a source of potential danger to the planet. You should thank me. Not that I think you will, small- minded beings that you are. Ah, but I _did_ promise you a display, did I not? Behold the demonic terror. Its potential was never realized before as I was sidetracked at the time, but I think you'll find it most fascinating. Well, before it kills you. Now, shall it be ladies first or do we break with convention?"

"We'll see who fuckin' dies," Cid finally growled, ignoring previous warnings to stay away as he charged toward Hojo. Intent on hitting his target, he missed Vincent's collapse, but didn’t miss the horrific sound that followed. Anger and agony mixed to create a sound that caused both Tifa and Cid to stop short of Hojo.

"Now see what you've done? You've missed the first parts of the transformation, but don't worry, the rest is absolutely beautiful," Hojo assured, pointing toward a figure now shrouded in what seemed to be thick, black cobwebs that soon formed into two voluminous wings. "It took me days to come up with the right combination, but I found a way to overcome the previous entity's annoying tendency to let its emotions get in the way."

It was clear that Vincent was fighting every inch of the transformation, but it was a losing battle. Long, black claws had taken the place of his hands that preceded the other changes. What was left was what could only be described as a tormented, fallen angel from old mythology.

"Now that I've administered the missing components, it should have no trouble at all with this last stage of transformation." Leaning over to place his mouth near Cid's ear, Hojo chuckled. "Just imagine, that was beside you all the time, waiting for me to trigger it. Don't worry, I'll make sure that it's well taken care of in your absence. After all, this is the first of a new species. I can't let my work go to waste."

Cid readied his elbow to land it in the middle of Hojo's face, snarling at the man's words, but that action fell short of completion. A yelp from Tifa brought his attention back to Vincent's changed form, and all he could do was stare. What the pilot had taken for a dark cloud passing overhead had been the span of those wings blocking out-- no _absorbing_ \-- the light filtering down from above.

"And now, if you'll excuse me..… I'd stand here and participate but blood and its shedding is best observed from a distance. Enjoy." With an amiable smile, Hojo stepped back to lean against the exterior wall of a nearby building. "Be assured that your sacrifices won't be in vain . They shall further my research."

"He's not going to do it," Tifa said in a tone that stopped just short of being absolutely certain. That certainty was shaken as whatever Vincent had become dove down toward them, claws extended as if to tear both of them apart. "No, he won't do it. He can fight it;, he's never hurt us before and he won't do it now." Before she could say anything else, those claws burried themselves in the ground beside both Tifa and Cid, ripping up bits of pavement and sending them flying into the air.

It became clear that the object of this new transformation's anger wasn't either of Vincent's companions., The cold air that had surrounded them increased and became a barrier of sorts. If any further proof was needed, it was demonstrated by the shadowy shape forming around Hojo. At first, it was only a dark blur, but quickly resolved into what could be called a skull. The spell was familiar enough, but it seemed to fall short and, with a howl of frustration, the one casting it fled into the shadows.

"... Things like this only happen when I hang out with you guys," Tifa pointed out in a momentarily weak voice before turning to look for Hojo. "Oh I hate that guy!" She exclaimed and, for lack of better outlet, stomped her foot for good measure.

"I'm gonna kill that asshole." Cid stated as he scanned the street then looked back at Tifa. "Come on, we got a few days to get this finished and I'm thinkin' that he's gonna head back to one of two places when he comes out of it. If not, then we're gonna need more than just us to get him back. This time we just kill anything in a white fuckin' coat. I'm tired of this guy."


	2. Chapter 2

It was dark, but that didn't seem to matter. The dark and the cold were somewhat comforting, as was the endless silence that filled Vincent's consciousness.

 _"I knew you'd come back here. You were always like that whenever you had too much to think about."_

The words floated somewhere in the blackness, just within Vincent's ability to grasp them, but just beyond his ability to recognize who had spoken them. "...who..?"

 _You. Are you going to hide in sleep until time ends?_

"I don't want to go back." Vincent wasn't certain if he'd spoken aloud or not, but it didn't really seem to matter. He was certain his words would be understood.

 _Then go forward, Vincent. It's time to stop giving in to your nightmares._

"No! Wait!" Before he could get more than those words out, Vincent's eyes opened and he sat up to look around the room he was in. His gaze paused on the coffin shaped containment units around him, one of which he was now sitting in. "Here?"

"I don't recall having included homing pigeon in your DNA. I suppose, even with my best effort, you still have some of that pathetically predictable human nature left. Did you think you were going to come here and lock yourself away? And while we're on the subject, who were you talking to?" Hojo's mouth quirked into a self-satisfied smirk. "Your memories? I'd ask if you were praying, but the only god that ever came close to this planet was destroyed before he could reach his potential."

"Is that anger, Hojo?" Vincent's voice remained calm and level. "What is it directed at? Me? My friends? The planet? We both know you're not mourning your losses, unless we count the loss of power. Why did you come back? The planet was purged of its infection. It's over."

"Friends? Friends, it says. You have nothing like that. Do you think that you should be given anything that humans hold dear? How long do you think these 'friends' will live with you around them?" Hojo's tone remained conversational, despite his words, and he even offered something of a smile as he reached out a hand toward Vincent. "Here, let me help you."

"I want nothing from you!" Real anger was beginning to show itself in the glow of Vincent's eyes and the growl in his voice. "Aside from your death. If you wish to give that to me, then I will humbly accept." As he stood, he made a mockery of a bow, glaring at the scientist all the while.

"As expected," Hojo sighed, holding out another hand. This time the outline of a book could be seen in the faint light of the room. "Take this then and go. Go back to your friends, you'll find that I'm not interested in stopping you. What is it? You won't accept my gift?" The book was allowed to fall to the ground with a thud. "Very well. I'll leave you with this warning: The changes that I've triggered can't be stopped. You may want to lock yourself up the next time there's a full moon or none at all. Call it my parting gift to an old friend after a long association."

Vincent waited until Hojo had left, until he was absolutely certain that the man was out of the mansion, before he punched the wall with his gauntlet-covered hand. One of the wall's stones gave way and crumbled into pebbles that scattered the floor at his feet. The destruction went unnoticed, even though his forehead rested against yet another stone and his eyes, too full of tears to make out more than a blur of grey, focused on the floor.

 _You always did feel things too strongly, that's why you were always in so much danger._

Vincent couldn't tell if it was his own imagination or if the dream still clung to his mind. As he slid to the floor, turning so that his back was to the wall, it stopped mattering. If what Hojo said was true, and the man had no reason to lie, then the slow loss of what remained of his humanity would continue and his sanity would probably go with it.

In the midst of his thoughts, Vincent reached out to pick up the book that had been offered him. A latch that had once been home to a lock now hung uselessly from one cover, but he paid that little mind as he turned the book over to see, in long, elegant script, a name. "Lucrecia..."

Why Hojo would see a need or reason to give him the woman's diary was something he refused to think about as he opened the book to a random page, only focusing on the lines of the handwriting for the moment. It took several seconds for the content of the page to sink in, and then it was all he could do to not drop the diary to the floor.

 _I'm beginning to wonder if my decisions are going to make any difference at all. Hojo is obsessed with the ancients, so much so that I begged Dr. Gast to take Ifalna and try to find some place safe, if such a place exists. Perhaps none of us are safe, but at least I can try to protect the ones I really care about with my decisions. Even if I'm never forgiven for what I've agreed to._

"... the ones you really cared about..." Vincent didn't try to work out the meaning behind the words. Instead, he closed the book and held it against his chest before slumping a bit more against the wall. Within seconds his eyes were shut and his breathing fell into the steady rhythm of sleep.

 _Always the same. You never show anyone how you feel until you've had time to examine every side of the emotion. What are you so afraid of?_


	3. Chapter 3

"Vincent!" A child's voice called into the night, the name followed by the sound of running feet and a girlish laugh. "Hey! You better be up here, you _promised_!" Peering out of the door that led to the roof of the bar, Marlene's gaze finally landed on a figure that was definitely not the person she was looking for. "Oh, it's only you," she sighed and kicked at a pebble, sending it skittering away.

"That's a he... er... what kinda hello is that? Even short, you women are all the same," Cid replied as he glanced over at the girl. "Don't you have some other male's life to make miserable, kid?" This time the words were teasing, even if he couldn't lose the edge of worry that clung to them.

Marlene let out a long suffering sigh that belonged to a person with more years than she possessed and walked over to tug at the pilot's hand. "Is it bad? You're worried and so is everyone else, even if they're doing their best not to show it. It would have to be bad, because he's not here and he promised he would be."

"He probably had something he had to take care of and couldn't make it back. Don't worry, he'll make it up to you when he gets here." Cid hid the lie in the action of lighting another cigarette and blowing the smoke upward into the night air. "Why don't you go play and I'll let you know when he gets back."

Marlene's face took on a stubborn expression as she stomped her foot. "I'm waiting with you!" A smile immediately curved her lips and she walked over to lean against the ledge surrounding the roof. "When are you going to go after him? In the morning or now?"

Cid cursed under his breath but didn't answer right away. For all her young years, Marlene could be as convincing and stubborn as any adult. "Who says I am? He's a big boy, he can take care of himself," he answered. "Why don't you go bug your dad for a while?"

"No one said, but they don't have to. You're just waiting until you can't stand it anymore, then you'll cuss a lot and take off looking for him. At least... you should. If you don't I'm going to be so mad at you!" Marlene stamped her foot again, glaring at Cid as she did so. "Well, if none of _you_ are going to do anything, I will!" With that, a pink phone with an equally pink strap was pulled from her pocket and she began going through the menu. "These days, Cid, you ask for the person you like's number," she pointed out before heading off toward the door again, leaving a dumbfounded adult in her wake.

It seemed to take forever for the connection to establish as Marlene watched the screen of her phone. "You must have gone a long, long way," she mused to herself as she waited. "To go so far without saying anything..." The display finally flashed an established connection. "Vincent! Where are you? I went to the roof to meet you and you weren't there. Everyone's worried and I know it has to be important because everyone stops talking as soon as I come into the room."

Several seconds passed before the silence was broken by a sigh that could have been the wind. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there," Vincent finally said. "I... I ran into someone and was sidetracked; it couldn't be helped. You should have asked Cid for your story. I'm sure he has a few that are more interesting than mine."

"Cid spends too much time trying not to swear around me to get a story out," Marlene countered. "And you're really far away, I can tell. Where are you? We're going to come get you, anyway, so you should just tell me and save time. Cid's worried and the longer he's worried, the more swear words I'm going to learn," she warned as she reached her room and picked up the plush cat that was Cait Sith-- now inactive but still cute.

"...Nibelheim... I'm in Nibelheim, but you shouldn't meet me here." As if anticipating an argument, Vincent went on, "We should meet in North Corel, instead."

"Yay! I'll get everyone together! We can make it a group trip!" Shaking the plush cat in her grip, Marlene continued, "Cid promised us a ride, anyway, so he'll have a chance to pay up on the offer!"

"Wait! Marlene, I need for you to convey a message for me, will you?" Vincent's voice had regained some of its normal energy as the conversation progressed, an obvious sign that he was now up and moving. "Tell Cid that he will continue to watch his language while I'm gone, and that he owes you a story in return for the swearing I know he's already done."

The message was met with a delighted giggle. "I'll tell him! Then you can lecture him when we get there! I'll give you the list of the new words I've learned, too!" With that, the call was ended and she gave Cait Sith another shake. "OOoooh, where are you? We're going to take a trip, so wake up!"

By the time Marlene had reached the roof again, the toy's mechanical eyes opened and he began to make sounds of protests. "Not so loud, not so loud!" the high-pitched voice of Cait Sith complained while gloved hands covered his ears. "Where are we going that you're so excited, miss?" Even when caught off guard, the puppet's controller remained polite, never mind that the person he was addressing was a child.

"We're going to pick someone up, but I'm pretty sure there's going to be trouble or everyone wouldn't be so worried," Marlene explained without giving too much information away. The adults could take care of that when the time was right. "Cid! We have to go to North Corel!" Including herself in the statement was a trick she'd learned recently. If you acted as if you were supposed to be included, the adults would only say no when it mattered.

"North Corel?" The pilot was in the middle of a cigarette, a sure sign that he'd been chain smoking, a sign of just how worried he was. "Why the he… why would he be in that place?" Despite the change in circumstances, the town wasn't much of a place to visit.

"Because he doesn't want us to meet him in Nibelheim, for some reason, but he said you have to give me a story _and_ watch your language. I'm keeping track." With a pleased look, Marlene walked toward the door yet again with Cait Sith dangling by an arm held in her hand- the picture of a child's plush toy. "I'll get the others, but you'd better catch up, grandpa!"

"Hey!" Cid called out, muttering at the girl’s giggle as she ran away. Once she was out of sight, he crushed out his cigarette and headed for the door. "Damn women. Even travel size they're a pain in the ass."


	4. Chapter 4

Getting transportation to North Corel hadn't been a problem. As Vincent had anticipated, the people of Nibelheim had been as eager to see him leave as he was to go and he was quickly supplied with a chocobo. It was the only transportation available in the late hours of the night, and as much as he hated riding, it couldn't be helped. At least, Vincent reminded himself, the hen hadn't reacted to him the way the animals sometimes did-- as if he were a predator.

There were advantages to such archaic means of travel, the most notable being that Vincent could spend the trip in silence and solitude rather than being stared at by fellow passengers. Still, the trip had done its best to persuade him that being stared at for an hour or so might have been preferable to the jostling he'd endured. As he sat on the cot in the room he'd been pointed to by Tifa when it became clear that he wasn't yet ready to talk about recent events, he made a mental note not to mention the discomfort. His dignity had suffered enough.

Vincent stood, turning his back to the door in order to look out the small window at the still dark sky. Sitting was uncomfortable still and, with so many things to think over, he was sure that it would take forever to fall asleep.

"Why the hell did ya make us fly to that hole to pick you up?" Cid's question was followed by the slamming of the door behind him. "Come to think of it, how the hell'd you get this far in the first damn place?" Not waiting for an answer, the pilot walked over to lean against the wall beside Vincent. "You doin' all right? That asshole didn't do any permanent damage, did he?"

"Do you mean aside from killing me, turning me into a monster, and then returning to finish what he'd started?" Vincent asked in return, then shook his head. "I can't stay, Cid. He's done something and I can't predict what the outcome is going to be. If what Hojo said is true, then that thing you saw me become is only the beginning. I refuse to put anyone else in danger."

Cid made a sound that was somewhere between disbelief and disagreement. "You keep sayin' that, but you've never tried to hurt any of us before. You had plenty of opportunity, too, and it ain't like we could have fought you off, so don't give me none of that monster shit. You're not." Pausing, he glanced over at the man beside him and smirked. "I got proof."

"What proof do you have? That I haven't killed any of you yet? That I look human and, therefore, can't be a monster? That I've been your ally in the past? That..." Vincent turned away, looking out the window again and taking a breath to hide the momentary unsteadiness in his voice. "That I didn't kill you earlier? I could have."

"Well, sure you could have. I told you, didn't I? If you wanted to kick our asses, we wouldn't stand a chance, but you haven't tried. I wasn't talkin' about any of that, though. You can't be a monster, because kids are afraid of monsters and Marlene's not afraid of you," Cid pointed out smugly. "Hell, the only person she likes more is her dad, so why should the rest of us be afraid?"

Vincent didn't respond at first and silence settled over the room like a shroud only to be interrupted by a faint, metallic clink. "Your reasoning is circular at best," he pointed out before turning to face the pilot. "I have more than just circumstantial evidence, Cid." The mixture of fabric and metal that made up the gauntlet the former Turk wore was held up in his normal hand while the other was held out for examination. "This is my proof. I'm not human, Cid, I'm not even sure if I'm really alive anymore. The only thing I _am_ sure of is that I'm just one of the many monsters that Hojo created."

Slick, inky blackness coated the entirety of Vincent's forearm and hand like an oil slick, blending into the curved talons that tipped each finger. Cid could see the movement of what he assumed to be blood within veins, which pulsed just below the surface as well as the outline of muscle upon bone. "That all you got?" Despite the surprise, the pilot's voice was amazingly calm. "Because I thought you said you had some sort of proof. A fucked up hand, no matter how you got it, isn't enough to make you a monster. The monster's the one that did that shit to you, so stop wastin' your time trying to warn us off and get your mind on the important shit. Like how we're gonna get rid of this asshole once and for all. I'm tired of gettin' sidetracked by things like this."

"You really do have the most selective mind I've ever encountered." Vincent sighed, replacing the gauntlet over his hand slowly, as if the mere touch of the material was painful. "Regardless, I won't be able to stay around if my presence is going to pose a threat. Even if I can't convince you that _I_ am a danger, my presence poses a threat to you simply because Hojo wants me to return to him willingly. If he harms any of you..." The last clasps were closed and he held up his now encased hand, flexing the fingers in a crushing motion. "... I may not be able to kill him, but I'm sure that I can make him live through much. Besides, if he inconveniences you too much, we'll all have to deal with your temper."

Cid's smirk gave way to a genuine smile that was still no less self-satisfied. "I just don't waste my time with things that don't matter. Tell you what, why don't you let _us_ decide if we want you to stick around or go?" He'd been about to say more but stopped to look give Vincent a concerned look. "Does it hurt? Is it only when you have that glove thing off or all the time?" Realization dawned in the pilot's eyes and he all but smacked himself in the forehead. "That's the source of Jenova cell's this jackass is looking for, isn't it? Look, you know we got more of a chance to beat this guy if we stick together, and stop worryin' about what you could do to us. We're big kids, we can take care of ourselves."

Vincent stared at Cid silently for a few seconds, then shook his head. "I don't understand why you're willing to put yourself in danger, or why any of the others would agree," he began before the questions sidetracked him completely. "There is always some pain, but it seems to hurt more when exposed to air. It's a side effect, like the psychosis that would come with introducing Jenova's cells into the human body. Enough mako exposure can counter it to a certain extent, but the pain is always there. I'm not certain of what Hojo is after, but I'm sure that's part of it."

"Yeah, well, whatever he's after, he ain't gettin' it. Look, why don't you just try to get some sleep. We got a while to go and I doubt Hojo's gonna make a move any time soon." A cigarette was lit and then set in the ashtray on the table before the pilot removed his shirt and sat down on the cot. "The only one of us that's got any sleep was Marlene. Damn kid was out before we were over the water."

Vincent stared at Cid, his expression going from non-existent to perplexed. "Cid? What are you doing?" Reaching out, he plucked the cigarette from the ashtray to examine it as if it held some answer before he crushed it out.

"Doing? What the hell does it look like? It's my room, I'm gonna get a nap before I have to go up and take over from the auto to land us. There wasn't a lot of room for sleeping space, you know, and most of that's filled with blankets and shit for the Wutai kids. They're not gonna flap their arms and get home on their own. C'mon, lay down. I get the outside so I can get up."

"You want me to sleep. Here. With you. In the same cot." Vincent was aware of the fact that he was stating the obvious, but part of his mind had to have it spelled out no matter how ridiculous it made him feel. "Well, if there's no other room, I could always stay up," he offered, already making for the door and effectively hiding the mild warmth in his cheeks.

"Can't call you slow, can we? That was sort of the idea and don't even think about it. Tifa'd have a boot to my head if she knew I didn't make sure you got to sleep. Damn women... all three of 'em. You want to talk about terrifying creatures? Go piss one of 'em off," he instructed as he kicked off his boots. "C'mon, boots and cloak off and in the sack, Turk-boy, before I wrestle you there."

"If you sprawl in your sleep, I'm getting up," Vincent stated, already aware that he'd lost this battle before it had even started. His boots and cloak were shed as he'd been instructed and he did his best to take up as little room as possible.

Cid laughed as he stretched out, tucking both hands behind his head on the pillow. "If I sprawl, good luck on gettin' up. Hey, at least I don't snore, it could be worse. Get some sleep," he instructed again before closing his eyes and following his own orders.

"...you're so difficult to live with," Vincent said under his breath even as he closed his eyes and, much to his surprise, began to drift off into sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Calm darkness gave way to a chaotic mix of imagery as Vincent slept, building in intensity until he could feel the grip of hands upon his shoulders. He reached out to grab hold of his attacker, snarling a warning that was brought short by a strange, high-pitched sound from somewhere else.

"Shit, Vincent, I'm not the bad guy. Wake the hell up," Cid ordered in a strained voice. "You can strangle me later when you're awake enough to enjoy it."

Vincent opened his eyes to gaze at the man hovering over him, staring at the hand- his hand- around the man's neck. "...Cid?" His grip loosened just seconds before he pushed the pilot away from him. "I'm sorry. I thought you were... not you."

"That's good to know." Cid brought his own hand up to rub at his neck, managing a smirk as he did so. "’Cause all this time I figured you were just waitin' for the right time to get revenge."

"Revenge?" Vincent fell silent, then shook his head. "If I wanted revenge I would get it while I was awake. There's an alarm going off," he informed Cid helpfully before sitting up and reaching for his boots. "I take it that means you need to go take over? You do know how to drive this, don't you?"

Cid stopped in mid movement with a cigarette hanging from his mouth and a lighter poised at its tip. The spell was finally broken when the heat from the flame sunk through the leather of his glove and started to bake his thumb. "Ow, shit!" He extinguished the flame as he watched Vincent with a growing smirk. "Funny. Yeah, I know how to fly this one. Come up and I'll prove it," he offered before finally lighting the cigarette and heading through the door.

Vincent finished pulling on his boots and picked up his cloak, then headed toward the airship's bridge only to spot Tifa apparently interrogating Cid. He'd nearly decided that it was in his own best interest to avoid the situation when something small, giggling and carrying a plush cat by the arm attached itself to his leg.

"Vincent! Did you see?! This thing really can make more than one trip into the air!" Marlene giggled, peering up from under the fall of red material over her head. "Have you looked out the window? It's really pretty down there--"

"Miss, I do appreciate your carrying me in here, but I'm really not a toy!" The high tone of Cait Sith's voice announced his controller's presence. "It's a rather undignified position." False, feline eyes looked toward Vincent for sympathy, but the cat finally sighed. "It's no use. I guess this is my fate."

Vincent stared at both Marlene and the animated plushy silently before gazing over at Tifa and Cid. Deciding the two would be of no use until their conversation was over, he looked back down at Marlene. "Why don't you take Cait Sith over to show him the view? I'll join you and lift both of you up so you can see out the window better... and maybe you should hold him around the middle so that his arm doesn't come off."

Raising the plush form in her hand, Marlene thought the offer over and then nodded. Cait Sith was tucked under her arm as she went to look out the window as Cid brought the airship in to land. "Wow, it looks so small from up here. It looks really broken, too."

Cait Sith didn't join in the conversation, choosing to sigh to himself at the indignity of his position. "You're so very compassionate," he muttered in Vincent's direction before turning to gaze out the window. Once his duty to protest was over, it appeared that he was quite content to be carried around. One might even say he liked it to a certain extent.

The conversation behind them stopped as Vincent, keeping his promise, lifted Marlene up so that she had a better view of the ground below. "It's a unique sight," he commented before they began to descend and he lowered the girl to her own feet.

Their landing was bumpy and, as they exited, Marlene held back. "I think there's something out there." Her words were reinforced by yet another tremor that shook the ground beneath them. "W-what is that?!" The hand not holding Cait Sith was used to point toward the form of what could have been a dragon, but in miniature and apparently crossed with a dozen different monstrosities.

"M-miss! Please don't dangle me like that," Cait Sith piped in, struggling to turn himself around in order to see. "Hold me up straight so I can see it. I won't be any use if I'm not able to-- Uuaaaaaah! Perhaps running would be a better idea. Put me on your shoulder so that I can try to turn it away if it follows us and run!"

"Shit!" Was Cid's first contribution, though he was already crouched to charge at the thing with his spear. "You know, shit like this only happens to me when I hang out with you people," he called over his shoulder toward both Tifa and Vincent. "I gotta get myself a new crowd."

"Hah, you wish, old man. We're the only ones who'll put up with you," Tifa teased as she tugged on her gloves. "Look, I think it likes you."

Vincent glanced back to check on Marlene's progress before again turning his attention to the others. "Perhaps we should allow Cid to introduce himself before we interfere. If his charming personality and way with words doesn't persuade it to leave, then we can use other measures," he suggested just seconds before taking aim at the thing and shooting between his unprepared companions.

"Damnit! I _hate_ it when you do that," Cid said in a startled voice before announcing his charge toward the dragon with a snarl. "We're gonna talk about that bad habit of yours when this is over!"

Tifa waited, shaking her head at both men. "Did you happen to notice that we're in a situation? Talk about it later!" Using Cid's more noticeable presence to mask her own, she made several passes at the creature's form and aimed her punches at suspected soft spots along its hide. "Oh no..."

The gunshots stopped suddenly as Vincent ran forward as well, just in time to grab at Cid's shirt and pull him back. "Tifa, get away from it!" he yelled as the dragon's form began to stretch and separate into several distinct shapes.

"The hell...?" At first, Cid was more startled at the way he was jerked back than the sight before him. "Well hell, that makes things difficult. Whoah, shit! It's got..." The pilot's words were cut off as hundreds of needles shot out in all directions, stinging the skin of those they hit.

"Get down!" Tifa yelled as she dropped to the ground, flattening herself as much as possible upon the broken concrete.

Their opponent had become a dozen, each armed with quills that replaced themselves as soon they were shed. The tips dripped with a dangerous looking liquid that hissed as it hit anything inorganic.

Vincent's ability to shoot was hampered by the weight of Cid, who now sagged against him as the creatures began to spread out and move toward them. A few shots rang out, and one of the beasts fell but didn't appear to be dead. Instead, its form began to shift as the torn tissue began to mend itself. Vincent was vaguely aware of the stinging in his skin as he was hit several times and braced himself for the blackness he was sure would come.

At first it was as if lightning had flashed in a darkened sky, but soon the light overwhelmed everything. The pained cries of the creatures that had attacked them filled the air and then were cut off by a lone melodic note. As the light began to dim, their outlines began to distort and then dissolve.

Tifa looked up as a cool wind began to blow against her skin, soothing her injuries and clearing her mind. "Who...?" But that question was answered before she could finish asking it in the form of the being, who now held Cid in the air above what had become their battlefield.

Long, silver hair had taken the place of black, but it wasn't the only change their friend had undergone. Large, white wings spread out, pushing at the wind while the being that Vincent had become gazed down at its surroundings with what could only be called a serene gaze.

Within seconds, it was all over and the only indication that there had even been a fight was a figure covered by a red cloak lying on the ground.

"What the hell...?" Cid, who'd missed all but his tumble to the ground, sat up and looked around him. "We ain't dead?" The question was posed to Tifa before he turned to check on Vincent, uncovering the gunman's face and checking for breath. "We'd better get him inside," he announced before standing in order to pick up their fallen friend. "His breathing's shallow and his skin's cold. What the hell was that, anyway?"

Marlene emerged from a doorway, dangling Cait Sith from one hand again as she walked toward the adults. "That's why he ran away." Her voice was soft as she lifted the plush cat to her, hugging it without thought. "You're going to have to convince him to stay, you know. Oooh, come _on_ grandpa! Are you going to get him someplace warm or stand there looking clueless?"

Tifa took the lead, motioning the others after her and opening the door to let them in. "Take him upstairs and keep an eye on him, I'll bring up blankets and keep water warm for tea once he wakes up. He'll probably need the extra warmth." A meaningful look was given Cid as she walked off to the stove. "Well? Go on."


	6. Chapter 6

Cid managed to get Vincent up the stairs and onto the bed, ignoring the fact that the slender man seemed to weigh more than his build would lead one to guess. He understood heat transfer enough to know that he had to remove the gunman's clothes before piling the covers on one at a time. "Should probably warm the room up some more, too."

"Already taken care of. Has he opened his eyes or said anything?" Tifa made her way to the bed to place a small pile of blankets at its foot before looking over the occupant. "I called Cloud and he said he's coming home tonight. Barret will be coming home, too," she informed absently as she reached out to place a hand against Vincent's forehead. "I wonder what that was or if he'll remember it. Even if we say that he saved us... We have to keep him here, Cid, so you're going to have to convince him, but there won't be anyone to convince if we don't get him warm. What are you doing just standing there? Get undressed and into the bed!"

"Hey! How come _I_ have to be the one to do it?" Cid asked as he pulled out a cigarette only to put it back into the pack when the action earned him a glare. "All right, all right, don't look at me like that. I'll do it, I just don't understand why the hell you're convinced I gotta be the one to do it, that's all."

To Tifa's credit, she didn't immediately smack herself, or Cid, in the forehead out of frustration. "Because he trusts you, Cid, and because he'd be horrified if any of the rest of us took care of him. I can't really say that I blame him after everything that's happened, but it has to be done. Besides, this way no one has to deal with you being crabby because you're worried and won't admit it."

Tifa left the room before Cid could come up with any kind of response. "Damn women," he muttered as he undressed. His clothes were tossed over the back of the chair by the bed and his boots placed under it before he crawled under the covers. "I really hope you don't wanna kick my ass for this later," he told the sleeping figure beside him, "but I guess if it means you're awake and better, then even that'll be all right."

After several minutes of silence, Cid reached up to brush dark bangs away from Vincent's face. "Don't know why the hell you hide behind all this." Small, white scars could be seen along Vincent’s hairline, but since they weren't easily noticeable, Cid doubted that was the reason. There were other marks of Vincent's past evident in the form of a long ago healed bullet wound and the thin line of scar tissue down the center of his chest that was now hidden under a mountain of blankets. "You don't really need to."

At some point, though he couldn't exactly say when, Cid gave in to the exhaustion left over from their fight and drifted off to sleep. It was Vincent who woke him by snuggling closer in his effort to leech more warmth. "Hey, are you awake?"

"Nn? Cold," Vincent's answer was slurred by sleep, but it was clear that he was in the process of waking. "Cid?" He nearly tensed, but relaxed once it became clear that doing so took him away from the warmth the other provided. "Were you... No, you were, I remember that. Was it the venom from the stingers?"

Cid hesitated before reaching out to rub a hand along Vincent's arm, trying to return warmth more quickly. "You really don't remember, huh? Unfortunately, neither do I. It's kinda embarrassing to get knocked on my ass like that by... whatever the hell those things were. Tifa can tell you; she had the good sense to hit the dirt before she got hit, but don't tell her I said that."

Vincent turned onto his side, putting his back to Cid without pulling away and briefly exposing two more scars- one near each shoulder blade- to view. "If I mentioned it, I would be pointing out my own lack of judgment. Perhaps we should just keep that topic out of future conversations."

Cid laughed, moving his hand from Vincent's arm to his back, rubbing at the cool skin there. "Better? At least you don't feel as cold as you did earlier... and that's a great idea. In fact, let's just keep from bringing anything like that up at all."

"Agreed, unless it has only to do with you." For a few seconds, it seemed as if Vincent might be relaxing under the touch. That ended when he tensed again rolled onto his back, nearly pushing Cid away from him in the process. "I should try to get up."

"No you don't. Tifa said you needed to stay here and that you needed to get warm. It wasn't what attacked us that got you, Vincent. I mean, I was out before it happened, but Tifa said somethin' happened to you, and before you get all pissy and decide you're gonna take off again, you apparently saved our asses. That means we both owe you, which means you're gonna lay there and get better or I'm gonna put a boot to your ass."

Vincent quickly covered a look of surprise with his usual cool indifference. "Are you fast enough to accomplish it? You let everyone get away with calling you old so much that I'm beginning to think it's true and that you really are too old and slow."

It was so hard to tell when Vincent was joking that it took Cid a moment to realize he was being teased. Once the realization dawned on him, he smirked. "Old. I'll show you old," he warned and, before he could talk himself out of it, leaned in for an unplanned kiss that ended with the sound of a doorknob turning.

"You're awake!" Marlene's voice announced her presence before the door was pushed open and she entered carrying a tray that held a pot and cups for tea as well as a small bottle of whatever Tifa had decided was appropriate. "After all of that, I thought you would sleep all day. Here," she offered as she set the tray down on the bedside table. "Tifa said you have to drink this, Vincent. I made the tea sweet to get rid of the taste of the medicine though, because it smelled _horrible_."

"I'm sure that I'll be able to stand the taste and the smell as long as the end result is worth it," Vincent assured Marlene, even going so far as to attempt a reassuring look as he picked up the container up. Once it was unstoppered, the smell was as the girl described it, but he managed to down the liquid without more than a small grimace.

"Da... er... yeah. Glad I don't have to take any of that." Cid's look of relief turned to a groan once the girl held up yet another bottle. "That woman's gone medicine crazy. I'm not the one got knocked fla.. er.. ok, maybe I did, but I'm better now.

Marlene gave Cid her sternest look as she held the bottle out to him. "Tifa said you had to take it and that if she had to come in to make sure, you'd regret it. She said they'd help you both get more sleep, and that you needed it."

"You should do as she suggests, Cid. I believe I do need the sleep and the last thing I think you want is for Tifa to come in here to chide you," Vincent's voice carried, along with mild confusion, a touch of amusement that was quickly giving way to tiredness. He briefly fended it off by finishing as much of the tea in his cup as he could before setting it aside and resting his head on the pillow. Soon he was drifting off yet again.

"Ok, ok, I get the picture, I'll take it," Cid couldn't manage to sound happy about it, but he did manage to swallow the awful tasting concoction before washing it down with the overly sweet tea Marlene provided. "You sure she's not tryin' to kill me instead?" He would have to wait for the question to be answered later, however, as he quickly drifted off into sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

_Don't you think you've slept enough?_

"...Who?" Vincent couldn't tell whether he spoke aloud, or if he was still wrapped in the darkness that made up his sleeping state.

 _You. Are you going to sleep forever? He's waiting for you._

"I don't want to. I... I think I'm afraid," Vincent admitted, though to himself or to the voice in the darkness, he couldn't decide. "If I stay here, I won't have to face..."

 _Him? Yourself? It's time to go back to the beginning. Go on, the others are waiting for you._

"And you?"

 _Me? I've been here all along._

It was with those last words ringing through his mind that Vincent finally opened his eyes onto the darkness of the room. He was alone, and before he could settle on relief or disappointment at that fact, he pushed the covers aside and searched out his clothing.

When he was finally dressed, Vincent made his way down the stairs only to catch the sight of his companions sitting around one of the bar's tables intently discussing something.

"I'm tellin' ya, he's not gonna go for it and if we try to track this psycho down without him, he's gonna be _pissed_ ," he heard Cid inform the others.

"But if we don't, then this is just going to go on until he gives in, Cid, and I don't want to see that happen. It has to be his decision to fight or to fall, but if we don't try to get him to face this then we may as well just have all walked away from him completely." Tifa's words were met with sounds of approval from both Barret and Yuffie, who were otherwise immersed in looking over a map.

"You can't force him to fight, but I think he's already made his decision, even if he isn't aware of it yet. He's still here, so even if he seems to be giving up, he hasn't yet. All we need to do is find out where Hojo has been hiding and then we have to do the hard part. We have to stand back and let him fight this man on his own." Cloud's tone was softer than the others, but carried easily within the confines of the small room.

The conversation was brought to a halt by two steady thumps on the door, and Vincent decided to use that as his opportunity to let his presence be known. "It seems that I slept through everyone's arrival." His tone remained somewhat flat, but edged with curiosity.

Cloud answered the knock at the door only to stare at the familiar pale face and red hair that came into view. "You again," he muttered, slamming the door shut and walking away before the process could be completed.

"Hey!" Reno yelled as his foot slipped between the door and its frame. "Why do you people always greet me like it means go away? Come on, I got a package here for ya, right from--" From somewhere behind the redhead, a voice called out his name and his words immediately switched tracks. "--from a concerned party-- Who comes up with that shit, anyway?" he called over his shoulder before continuing, "You're lookin' for someone, right? So take it. Go on, man, it's not like Rufus sent it or anything, it's cool."

Tifa stood and walked over to take the package. "If this is your boss trying to manipulate us, we'll be there to deal with him later," she informed Reno with a smile. "But if it's not, and this actually helps, then... thank you."

Reno smirked, chuckling as he tapped his shoulder with the club he used as his weapon. "Yeah, well, just don't come cryin' to us if you get your asses kicked. This information comes from someone who wants to be known only as an interested party, ain't that some shit?" There was another yell of his name and Reno walked away from the door. "Whaat? Man, you always say my name like it means shut up..."

Cloud pushed the door shut and looked at the package as Tifa opened it. "This... this is the mansion outside Nibelheim, why would anyone send us this?" As she unfolded the picture, two more papers fell to the ground and she bent to pick them up.

Vincent reached for them first and unfolded each in turn. "Maps of the mansion, but these aren't anything I'm familiar with. We've seen the rooms, but this shows a corridor leading off of the library." Looking around at the others, he gave a defeated sigh. "I intend to go here. If the rest of you wish to go, then I suppose that I can't stop you."

"Alright!" Yuffie's outburst earned her looks from the rest of the group and her shoulders sagged just a little. "Aw, crap, this means another airship ride, doesn't it?" Sighing, the girl flopped into a chair and slouched. "There's always a drawback."

"Well, let's not just sit around here talkin' about it." Cid's voice brought attention away from the mystery provided by the maps. "Get what you're takin' and let's go."

Taking Cid's words for a plan, the others stood and walked toward the door, all save for Nanaki. "I'll stay here with the children, just in case," he said as he rose to head up the stairs. "Be careful, all of you. Those two rely on you coming back. As a babysitter, I'm fine, but they aren't pups. I don't know how to take care of them when they're awake."

Vincent noticed that no one spoke assurances of a quick return as they headed out the door, but he paused to nod toward Nanaki as he followed. It wasn't until he'd reached the airship and sat on the edge of the bunk in the small room he'd occupied with Cid, that he allowed himself to think over what might lay ahead. He wasn't afraid for himself. Whether he lived or died was inconsequential. He'd already been through both and the prospect of being killed again came with only a few regrets.

Vincent stretched out on the bunk and began to drift off with those thoughts in his mind. If he was going to face Hojo and whatever the mad scientist had waiting, he would need to be as rested as possible. It was ironic that, after the amount of sleep he'd had in his lifetime, more would be required.

 

 _It's time_

Before Vincent could respond to the voice whispering through his sleeping mind, a knock sounded on the door.

"Why the hell'm I knockin'?" Cid's voice became more clear as the door opened and he peered in. "C'mon, you got enough beauty sleep before I met ya, it's time to go," the pilot informed. "We got about fifteen before we're there, so come up with the rest of us."

"I hadn't meant to sleep that long." Vincent nearly apologized, but changed his mind once he recognized the fact that he was being teased. "I'll be there shortly," he replied, already standing and heading toward the door.

When he reached the others, they were already watching the approach to the mansion with mixed expressions and Vincent wondered at the wisdom of allowing them to come. Not that he have could stop them, he admitted to himself, but he could have found a way to sneak off in order to reach the place first.

"I say we plant explosives and blow the hell out of it after we're done. I'm tired of shit comin' outta there to mess up my plans." Barret was glaring at the mansion as if the building itself were to blame, but hushed as they started to descend.

"There's no reason that we can't at least burn it once this is done," was Cloud's reply as they headed out of the airship and made their way into the mansion.

Dust filled the air, tainting it with the smell of age and neglect that was only magnified by the creaking of the floorboards under their feet. No one seemed to have forgotten the way to the room whose secret door led to the spiral staircase, neither did they forget their way down the corridor that led past the room that Vincent had been locked away in for so long.

Once the library was reached, they stopped in front of the bookcase that was labeled on their map as the one they needed to move in order to go further. The rustling of paper caught their attention and, nearly as one, they turned to find the source of the disturbance, each sure that it was the first of many anticipated traps set by Hojo.

"H-hold on!" A tall figure dressed in blue lifted a hand as if to fend off a bullet from the gun that Vincent had pulled. "It's me, remember?"

"Reeve! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that! You could have been shot, do you hear me? SHOT!" Yuffie's yell was muffled through the room by the presence of books, but that failed to curb the volume. "Don't sneak up on people like that!" she repeated, emphasizing it with a stomp of her foot.

While the others both made hushing sounds at Yuffie and greeted Reeve, Vincent reached for the bookcase, pushing at the thing until it finally gave way and swung aside to allow them entry. "He'll have put an alarm on this door, so we should hurry and get to him before he has a chance to do anything to defend himself or escapes."

Yuffie and Reeve settled into whispered conversation, though Vincent noted that their talking consisted mostly of Yuffie repeating the dangers of sneaking up on armed people. While part of his mind tried to decide if the girl was genuinely concerned or indignant at being caught off guard, the rest occupied itself with navigating the narrow passageway that forced the group into a row of no more than two people.

Still more dust mingled with damp air and dark gave way to a startling brightness that caused them to nearly stumbled as they entered what appeared to be a large laboratory. Specimens lined the walls in various containers and at various stages of life, death and something in between.

"Oh, _gross_!" Yuffie's voice indicated that she'd discovered a human sized container that held, floating in some sort of liquid, a failed experiment. "This guy's some kind of sick-o."

"Such kind words from such a lovely young lady. Perhaps you'd like to help? I've been without an assistant for quite some time. She died, you see. It was quite a tragedy." The voice came from near a row of equipment. "Ah, it returns. You really do have my gratitude for returning one of my favorite specimens. Oh, but you consider it a friend, don't you. Predictable, really, but these things happen. I suppose that you're all here to fight for its continued freedom from me and my work."

Before Yuffie could step forward, as her clenched fists and stubborn look suggested she might, Reeve reached out a steadying hand and shook his head. "I think we're supposed to be here to make sure that those don't interfere, miss. Our friend wouldn't gain anything from our interference," he told her, pointing to the figures that looked like they might have been preserved specimens.

As soon as Reeve had spoken, Hojo laughed. "Ah, yes, your friends. I have other entertainment for them, unless you're going to be a good pet and come back to where you belong? I have a cage suitable." His gaze drifted to Cid and he smiled knowingly. "I'll even let you have that one to keep you company, if you like."

"You sonova..." Cid moved forward, snarling, but didn't rush the scientist. Instead, his snarl turned into a smirk. "Why? So you can watch? No thanks, pervert. What I wanna do with him I'll do in private. Yer a big boy, go buy a movie if you want that sorta shit."

Before Vincent could do more than give Cid a dumbfounded stare in response to his words, the specimens began to move their undead limbs and headed for his companions at a steady pace. Taking the opportunity that Hojo's observation of his creations presented, Vincent rushed forward. He knew he couldn't simply shoot the man who had changed him, but if he worked up enough hatred and hurt, perhaps one of his altered states could.

Deafening roars from the creatures guarding Hojo mixed with shouts of caution and encouragement. From somewhere within the tangle of fighting forms, a cry rang out that could only belong to Yuffie and the action seemed to come to a halt. From above, a winged animal that was more bat than anything else swooped down in the ninja's direction, threatening to get to her before anyone else could react.

"No!" A brilliant flash of light indicated the activation of a materia that was seldom used due to its dangerousness. When the light subsided, Reeve, whose voice it had been, lay on the floor at Yuffie's feet with the bat-thing twitching in death nearby.

The fighting continued on two sides of the large room, and Vincent was hard pressed not to allow himself to be distracted by the plight of his friends as they faced whatever it was that Hojo had created. It was only when he reminded himself that their efforts would be wasted if Hojo himself lived, that his focus became more sure and he was able to grab hold of the man. "It ends."

"It does," Hojo replied, ignoring the feel of cool metal against his skin as his coat and shirt were caught in Vincent's grip. Smiling as if he were having the most wonderful time, the scientist pulled the gun he'd previously used and aimed it at his opponent's chest. "I know, I know, how incredibly uncreative of me, but one really doesn't need much creativity when it comes to putting down a lab animal."

Vincent heard the shot more than he felt it and, before the world fell into a disorganized jumble, he thought he could make out the sound of someone yelling his name, but he couldn't figure out why. Pain flared in his chest, then spread through him in waves and everything turned to darkness.

 _This is where you choose._

The familiar voice rang out in the darkness, bringing order without light. "Who...?" Vincent could almost grasp a name, but his mind refused it and he lacked the will to force the issue.

 _You're always asking that. You. You have to choose, Vincent. It's time, but to have a future, you have to let go of the past. Choose._

Two objects appeared out of the nothingness: one brilliant and shining, the other dark and inky. As he reached out, Vincent hesitated, uncertain of both of his choice and his worthiness to make it. The moment passed and, as his hand stretched out toward the brighter of the two spheres, the darkness around him faded.

 _Now, it's time to wake up._

Light filled the already bright room, momentarily blinding everyone, before fading into a singular point that centered on Vincent. The bullet that had been shot at him clinked onto the floor, breaking the silence that had fallen. About the room, the constructs that had been attacking or about to attack began to crumble into dust.

Large, gold tipped wings spread out, their otherwise pristine form obscuring the ceiling but failing to cast any shadows, and what had once been a cloak of red now wrapped Vincent's form in brilliant white. Unlike his previous transformation, his face was still recognizable and his eyes carried the red, mako-tainted glow as well as the spark that was his consciousness. His hands and arms were the same in form, but somehow purified. The rest was the perfect opposite of his demonic form. "No, this time _you_ end.” The voice that came from Vincent was his, but at the same time something more. Two tones joined together, one soft, light and gentle, the other deep and more deadly.

 

A gentle wind began blowing within the room, gathering strength as it caught at the material of Hojo's coat and began to weather it away in shreds. The metallic claw of Vincent's hand reached out toward the scientist, but never touched him. Instead, light began to spill over the man, consuming him.

Hojo had time for one protesting scream and then he was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

_You surprised me. I expected that you would fight, but I expected you to give in afterward. Now here you are, caught between and faced with another decision._

Vincent heard the voice before he became aware the darkness around him. "Decision? Who...?" he started to ask when light laughter interrupted him.

 _You always ask that. You. You're the one that has to make the decision, Vincent. Who else?_

A point of light formed in front of Vincent, becoming brighter as it expanded into human dimensions and then dimming to reveal the details. "You. But I thought..."

"What did you think? That I had gone on after the rain fell and cleansed the planet? I couldn't, not with you holding on so tightly." The woman who was now standing in front of Vincent reached out a hand to touch his cheek. "But I didn't really mind. You were always very dear to me. I was just afraid to show it. Even after it was too late, when you came to see me with your friends, I couldn't manage to tell you. I guess I was just too ashamed and my own guilt kept me from saying things to you that should have been said a long time ago. I hope you can forgive me."

For the first time in a very long time, Vincent felt tears on his cheeks. "Lucrecia," he whispered, reaching up to place his hand over hers. "...Forgive you? All of this time, I've wondered if you would forgive me."

"For what? For my decisions? My bad judgment? For being so afraid that you would hate me for what I had done that I ran away from you? None of that is your fault. In trying to protect everyone, I gave him a way to destroy all that I cared about. That's why, even though your feelings of guilt have anchored me here, I haven't minded." Lucrecia smiled before pulling her hand away and taking a step back. "But now you have to decide. Are you going to give up now? You could, if you wanted and no one would blame you. You've fought hard and been through more than most people could stand. You've earned your rest. ...Or will you stay with those who care about you? There is one in particular who is waiting on your decision. You really shouldn't keep them waiting."

"I'm a burden on them," Vincent answered, looking away. "I'm a danger; the things I can become... I was afraid of caring about them and now that I do, I'm afraid that what I am will put them in danger. I can't control the transformations. They'd be better off if..."

"If you died? Vincent, no one would blame you for putting aside your burdens and leaving all of it behind, but perhaps you should spend just a little more time among your friends before making your decision. I think you will find that they could care less about what you can become. You may not have realized it, but you were always in some sort of control. Even when your conscious mind slipped away, you never once hurt them." Lucrecia smiled, tilting her head to gaze at Vincent fondly. "You could never hurt anyone that you cared about, that much hasn't changed. Go on, go find out for yourself whether living is worth the hardships."

Before Vincent could say anything in protest, Lucrecia was gone and the warmth of the dark surrounding him began to fade. He could feel the covers over him, the bed beneath, but that was eclipsed by the cold that had settled through his body. Too tired to shiver and unwilling to open his eyes to face his surroundings, Vincent lay there listening to a conversation that was going on not too far from him.

"I know, Cid, but you're just as stubborn as he is. Both of you have skulls like rocks when it comes to this sort of thing, why else do you think I haven't hit you both in the head?" Sighing heavily, she went on, "But to say something like that? In front of everyone? There's a right time and place for that sort of thing and, in case no one's told you, in front of everyone like that was exactly the _wrong_ place." Even as she chided, Tifa's voice remained soft. "You'll be lucky if he doesn't shoot _it_ off."

"Don't you think I know that? Shit, it ain't like I planned it out, but that guy pissed me off and I couldn't go after him, so..." Cid sighed, and Vincent could hear the creak of the chair as the man slouched. "I'll be lucky if he wakes up. If he does that, he can do whatever he wants."

Vincent heard Tifa sigh again and the sound of her shoes on the floor. Cracking his eyes open just enough to see, he watched as she walked behind the pilot, hugging him despite his slouching position in the chair. "He'll wake up, I'm sure of it. I think he'll finally be all right now, but he needs his rest, so no trying to talk him to him before he's ready. But when he is, you need to sit down and tell him, because you're not good at hints, Cid, and you suck at being subtle."

Cid nearly smiled. "Yeah, I know," he admitted, pausing a moment before patting one of Tifa's hands. "I'll talk to him as soon as he looks like he's up for it, all right? He's probably already wantin' to kick my ass, don't wanna make it worse."

Tifa chuckled before walking over to the bedside table, and Vincent closed his eyes completely again. He heard the sound of a drawer open and close, then the sound of containers being set on the table's surface. "Once he wakes up, make sure that he takes some of this and, if he'll let you and he's still cold, use the oil to rub his back and help his circulation. Just try to keep your boot out of your mouth this time, okay? You're my friends, I don't want to see either of you made unhappy."

Cid said nothing until Tifa had left the room, and it wasn't until he had moved to sit on the edge of the bed that he said anything at all. "Keep my boot outta my mouth, eh? Never been good at that. Shit, if I'm lucky I'll keep you from wantin' to put a boot to my ass," he muttered as he reached out to brush Vincent's bangs back and then placed his hand against the gunman's forehead. "Still cold. If you don't wake up soon..."

"How could I possibly sleep with you talking so much?" Vincent interrupted, his own voice somewhat weak at first. "I'm sorry, I believe you were in the process of threatening me for my lack of consciousness. Please continue." He shivered beneath the layers of blanket covering him. "When you're finished, if you wouldn't mind finding a way to warm the room..."

Cid nearly jerked his hand back, but managed to slow the gesture. "Damnit," he complained, but added nothing to it. "Here, Tifa said you had to take this. It'll help you get your strength back." Picking up the small bottle, he unstoppered it before holding it out to be taken. "Hold onto that and I'll help you sit up enough to take it. Probably tastes like hell, though, so you might just wanna down it. I think she makes it taste bad on purpose as a lesson not to get ourselves sick or hurt."

Vincent took the bottle and was careful not to spill the contents as he felt Cid's hands slip under his shoulders then press against his back in order to lift him into a near sitting position. It wasn't until his back rested against the pilot's chest that he dared take whatever it was in the bottle. "It's not that bad," he informed, holding the empty container out to be taken.

"Huh, figures," was Cid's only comment, moving only enough to take the container and set it aside before his hands rubbed along Vincent's arms in a warming gesture. "Look, about what I said... It just sorta came out. He pissed me off, talkin' to you like that, callin' you ‘it’ and then what he said..."

"Meant that you felt the overwhelming urge to blurt something like that out in front of everyone," Vincent provided, his voice still somewhat weak. "While I can appreciate your sense of humor, Cid, I can't appreciate that particular joke. You're not a mean person, for all of your... crabbiness, so I'm a little confused."

Cid muttered a few choice swear words before shaking his head again. "That's not it. Hell, you know how bad I am at sayin' shit like this. I picked the wrong time and the wrong way, so I'm sorry for that, but I ain't sorry that I said it. Ok, maybe I'm sorry for the choice of words. I... damnit." For a few seconds, there was silence that was broken by a long, drawn out sigh. "Tifa's right, I'm not good at hints and I suck at subtle. I just suck more at tryin' to find a way to say I love you."

At first, Vincent couldn't speak and he was certain that if he'd been still holding onto container, he would have dropped it. Thinking he should at least say something, he opened his mouth, but words eluded him and he was left to sit there in silent shock.

"Look, I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear, but I had to say it. I'll apologize in front of the others for what I said if you want, but I ain't sorry I told you. I thought for sure that you were gone when you fell, so I..." Cid's arms wrapped about Vincent's waist, their grip tightening into a hug that lasted only a few seconds. "I decided that if you woke up I'd tell you."

"Cid, give me time to speak," Vincent chided, opting for leaning his head back onto the other man's shoulder instead of trying to turn to look at him. "Assuming is what has lead us here, so please stop. The truth is that it's not something that I expected to hear you say, not after all of this time. Don't mistake my shock for disdain, because I'm not very good at this sort of thing either. I just don't see how you can feel that way about someone like me... how can you love a monster?"

"I don't know, the only monsters I ever knew are dead now and I can't say I was very close to 'em," Cid answered. "You're the farthest thing from a monster that I know, so I don't think I can answer the question. You wanna know how I can feel that way about you? That's easy, everything about you is beautiful."

"The changes, the things I can become? I find it hard to believe that could be any sort of draw, Cid, even for you," Vincent countered. "I keep thinking that you would all be better off if I were to disappear now that everything is over. You'd be safer."

"Safer? Exactly how in the hell did you ever come to that fucked up conclusion? The safest place for anyone of us is right beside you. You know how many times you saved our asses? Besides, you'd make a lot of people unhappy if you left. Everyone'd miss you, and you'd make Marlene cry." Letting out a long sigh, Cid pushed on Vincent's shoulders, indicating he should lean forward as he grabbed the bottle of oil that Tifa had left there. "I wouldn't like it either," he admitted before pouring the oil into the palm of his hand and then spreading it over the gunman's back. "So I think you should stay... I mean, I want you to."

"You want me to," Vincent repeated, at first tensing and then relaxing under the massage. "Cid, I'm not calling you a liar, but I wonder if you know exactly what you want?" He would have said more, but the hands massaging his back were at first urging him to move and then helping him to lie on his stomach.

"Do I strike you as the kinda person who doesn't know exactly what he wants?" Cid's question preceded the continuation of the massage as he straddled Vincent's back. He leaned forward to whisper into the man's ear, "What the hell does it take to convince you? You that damn stubborn?" Before either question could be answered, the pilot leaned forward to nip at the skin of Vincent's neck.

Vincent had meant to say something, anything, about Cid's forwardness, but he had become too relaxed and warmed by the massage to think. His only reply came in the form of a sharp intake of air as his mind worked to come up with some sort of answer to the questions.

"See, you come up with all kinds of reasons why I should leave you alone, but not one of 'em has to do with you wantin' me to or not wantin' me around. So complain or give me a good reason why I should just walk away, but stop wastin' my time by comin' up with excuses for me to not want to be here." Cid's tone was rough, but it fell short of anger and he never once stopped the kneading at the muscles of Vincent's back and shoulders.

"Y-your shoes are still on. If Tifa finds out, she's going to yell at you," was all that Vincent could come up with at first. "If... if you wanted to warm me you should have been here instead of the chair." Curse himself he might, but he couldn't come up with the reasons for which Cid had asked.

"Want 'em off?" Cid moved and the sound of one boot and then the other hitting the floor followed. "I wasn't because I figured you might not want to be near me after... you know, after I chewed on my toes earlier. It's just that he pissed me off and I couldn't do what I wanted, which was kick his ass. I'm sorry. No, wait, I'm not. I'm sorry for the way I said it and the timing, which sucked, but I'm not sorry for sayin' it in general."

Turning onto his side to regard Cid, Vincent took a deep, steadying breath. "So, you see, I'm not the only one working on assumptions. You've been my friend for a long time and I made no secret that I admired you, but I assumed you would know everything that I meant by saying that. Or it could be that we've spent too much time talking."

Cid smirked as he listened, nodding at the points being made. "So, what you're sayin' is that we didn't say enough, but there's such a thing as sayin' too much? Maybe we should just both shut the hell up then, eh? Tell you what, I'll shut us both up."

Vincent had been about to speak, but before that could happen Cid had him pressed back against his pillows and was kissing him breathless. Part of him wanted to push the other man away, to tell him he was making a mistake, but the rest of him overruled it. It wasn't until the kiss ended that he spoke again, and it was far from a complaint. "You're dressed," he pointed out, as if that were something that needed to be taken care of immediately. "I thought part of your intention was to warm me."


	9. Chapter 9

"How long?" Vincent asked the question as Cid set aside the bottle of oil that Tifa had left. He was certain that she had some inkling, but wasn't quite sure if she'd had this particular use in mind. Still, he was grateful as well as surprised to find that Cid obviously knew what he was doing.

"What?" Cid's voice sounded somewhat confused as he used the remainder of the oil in his hand to slick the length of his cock. It wasn't until he was braced over Vincent and looking down at his face that he asked again. "How long what?"

"How long have you wanted to do this?" Certainly the question could have been asked at another time, but Vincent was curious and his chances of not having his blush seen through the light stain of pink already on his cheeks were good.

"You mean how long have I wanted to fuck you in general? Since I first saw you," Cid answered in a tone that suggested it should have been obvious. For a moment, it appeared that he might turn that question around, but then he shook his head. "We can figure out the rest later."

"Are you still speaking?" Vincent asked, sliding his hand down Cid's back with increasing pressure until he felt Cid’s cock slide into him. "I thought you were interested in more than just my mind." To emphasize his point, he leaned up enough to graze his teeth over the pilot's neck.

Cid managed to groan out a negative, "Nnn" in answer, but didn't move at first. It might have been to distract himself or both of them that he began kissing Vincent, but there was no question that neither of them would last very long. Not this time.

"Move. Now, Cid, move," Vincent ordered, his harsh, breathy words devolving into moans as that order was heeded. He was only vaguely aware of the sound of ripping cloth as the metal covered fingers of his left hand dug into and then through the sheet.

Cid might have intended to take things slowly, but Vincent's insistence and the intense, nearly wild glow of his eyes made those thoughts less than a memory. As he reached out to twine his fingers with those shredding the sheet, his pace quickened, encouraged by the gunman's incoherent urgings.

All too soon, Vincent gave a harsh cry that might have been Cid's name if he'd been able to recognize it, but by the time reality eased its way back into their minds, neither could remember. "I want to stay here with you," Vincent finally whispered, the arm about Cid tightening.

"Good, because I don't want you to go away," Cid answered before propping himself up enough to look into his lover's face. "But I do want you to lie right there. May not get my ass kicked for you exertin' yourself, but if you get out of bed, Tifa's gonna kick it up to my shoulders."

Giving a hint of a smile, Vincent nodded and released his hold on Cid to allow the man to get up. "I wouldn't want to be the one to rouse her anger," he finally agreed before staring at the damage done to the sheet. "We'll have to do something about this, however."

Cid paused briefly as he opened the drawer to the bedside table and glanced at the sheet. "Sheets are easy to replace," he informed with a shrug and then went about the business of getting out a cloth and dampening it with water from a glass near the chair he'd been sitting in before cleaning them both. "We'll do it after you recover more. Besides, we still gotta go pick up that damn gift for Denzel. Ain't right for him not to have his first birthday with his new parents be perfect, you know?"

The hint of smile became more pronounced, if more than a little tired, as Vincent nodded. "I agree, though I find the thought of Cloud as a father somewhat amusing. But I'm cold again, and you're warmer than these covers could make me," he hinted, holding the blankets up to make it less subtle.

Cid smirked, but made his way under the covers, turning onto his side at Vincent's insistence. It wasn't until the former Turk was settled in behind him with an arm draped over his side that he spoke again, "You should get some sleep, but if I'm not awake when you are, then I want you to wake me up." After a few seconds of silence, he took another breath and explained his reasoning, "I don't wanna wake up without you here."

Vincent nodded, already about to drift off. "You won't," he assured before letting his eyes fall closed. Just before sleep enveloped his mind, he heard Cid say something about loving him and, even though he couldn't grasp the words, the meaning made him smile. Whatever coldness that had claimed him during the battle was long, long gone.

 _So it looks like you've decided. I'm glad. You deserve to be happy._

"For now, for as long as it lasts," Vincent agreed, this time not questioning the identity of the voice. He knew he slept, but that this went somewhere beyond dreaming. "I don't think I'll think about time right now. ...will you go?"

 _I'll never go far away from you, but I think this will be the last time we speak for a while. Don't think about what time you have, Vincent. I promise that it will be all right. If your existence here becomes too painful, too lonely, you'll have your choice again._

 

 **=========================**

 **Omake**

"Come _on_ Cloud, let's go. I want to get there before the crowds start." Tifa waited by the door, tapping her foot impatiently. "You said you didn't mind going."

"Tifa..." Sighing heavily, Cloud stood from his chair and walked toward the door only to pause as he neared the stairs. "We just got back not very long ago, why do you want to go out now? Besides, who's going to take care of Vincent? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I think all of the men I know got a clue-ectomy before coming into my life," Tifa replied in exasperation, still tapping her foot and looking pointedly at Cloud. "Trust me? Vincent is going to be just fine." When understanding didn't dawn in the young man's eyes, she threw up her hands in defeat. "Cid can take care of him. After that outburst, it's his job. Now come _on_."

"His job?" Cloud shrugged and continued his walk toward the door, opening it for Tifa. "Why would it be his jo... wait, you mean what he said to Hojo?" Pausing before he could exit, he gave a wide-eyed look toward the stairs. "You mean Vincent is that angry with him?"

Tifa yanked on Cloud's hand, dragging him over the threshold before closing the door. "No, Cid really likes Vincent, and Vincent feels the same way. Cloud, don't make me give you the 'when a boy bee really likes another boy bee' talk."

"Those two?" Cloud gave one more glance back toward the bar before straddling his motorcycle. "Wow... huh, I guess I missed it." Once his goggles were settled in place and Tifa was seated behind him, he shook his head. "Poor Vincent."

Tifa's giggle could be heard just before the bike's engine rumbled into life and the pair rode away.


	10. New Limit Breaks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just my nerding over the new limit breaks for the story. Yeah. I went there.

Divine Order

Description: Angelic wings- each feather tipped in gold- sprout from the back of a creature that is swathed in blinding white light. What can be seen of the creature are a pair of red eyes and a tranquil, expressionless face. What can be seen of his body is nearly a duplicate of the chaos form.

Powers/spells/abilities: I decided to work this out as if it were available for the game, because I am **that** much of a nerd.

For the duration of this limit break, as with all others, Vincent will be not be controlable by the player. As soon as the transformation occurs, his HP will triple and his MP will equal this number. Along with strong physical attacks, he can cast two spells.

Spells: Breath of Life: All members of the party are restored to full HP/MP, but the total amount of both for the entire party is subtracted from Vincent's HP. At the same time, the HP of the enemy(s) is brought down to zero. The number of HP taken from the creature(s) is also subtracted from Vincent's HP. The visual effect is similar to Healing Wind.

Last Judgement: Bolts of light are thrown at the enemy and do a random amount of light/holy damage.

It might seem like the perfect limit break, but Breath of Life is a random effect and has a chance of doing percentage damage only, especially in a boss battle.

Malevolent Chaos

Description: At first, there is no distinction between this limit break and its down-scaled predecessor, but once the wings emerge and the creature takes to the air, the differences become pronounced. The wings are more voluminous, their expanse like cobwebs and shadow. His eyes glow like an inferno and the claws that sprout from the fingers of each hand are tipped in dripping poison.

 

Powers/spells/abilities: For the duration of the limit break, Vincent will be uncontrollable by the player. His HP and MP double, and he can cast two spells. On top of this, physical attacks have an increasing chance of resulting in afflicting the target(s) with poison.

Damnation: Akin to Satan Slam, the visual effect of this spell is a large skull with glowing red eyes that appears over the target(s). Fangs and a demonic laugh mark this spell as different, however, and the target(s) will suffer the usual damage of Doom along with the full list of negative stat effects.

Inferno: This is an AOE spell that causes DOT fire damage until the end of Limit Break. ALL target(s), including the caster and the party, will be afflicted with this spell once it is cast. Damage per tick is random. If the character has not been in battle since the last rest (Inn,tent,ect) period, there is a 60% chance that the AOE effect will target the enemy(s) only.

Dimensional Blink: There is a 60% chance that Vincent will leave the field near or at the end of battle, teleporting himself to one of three possible locations.


End file.
